Scotland Yard has launched an investigation to track down the orange Puma shoes, which were in a display frame alongside a photo of the Jamaican star after he set a new world record in 2009.

Burglars stole them from a commercial premises on an industrial estate in Gloucester Road, Croydon, in south London, sometime bewteen 10.30pm on April 26 and 5.30am on April 28.

Bolt, who won three gold medals at both the Beijing and London Olympics, added: "Breaking News..All you had to do was just ask me for one..No need to go stealing the ppl things..Come on now.."

He later posted a picture of himself signing a new pair of hi-tech green and blue trainers with the promise that they are now on their way to London to replace the stolen shoes.

"Only natural I sign sum spikes after one of my overly excited fan stole that one..FedEx straight to London later".

Police urged anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area, who knows the whereabouts of the shoes, or who has been offered them to buy, to contact Detective Constable Sheree Yates at Croydon CID on 0203 276 2287 or to call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.